Runaway
by mbrandybuck
Summary: Pippin runs away from his abusive father, and comes back 17 years later. Not the best summery, I know, but the story is very good. PLEASE R&R, I'm kinda new at this thing, need advice.rated T to be safe
1. Prologue

Running Away

Prologue

Pippin snuck out as quietly as he could without waking his father, or mother, or sisters. He succeeded. For a bit. When he walked out into the parlor room, he had totally forgotten about the dog, Killer. Killer was possibly a German Shepard mixed with some other dog. Pippin thought it was Pit Bull because the dog was so mean. Killer's ears twitched. Pippin froze as the dog looked up at him, and snarled. His eyes grew wide, and he tried to walk away. Killer began to bark.

"Shh! SHH!" Pippin said, unsuccessfully trying to quiet the dog. Killer ran towards him, and Pippin screamed. He ran outside as the rest of the household woke up.

"What's going on out there!" his father bellowed. Pippin was afraid, no, _**terrified**_, of his father. He gulped as he watched his father walk into the room, his mother next to him, rubbing her eyes. Although he was hidden by the thick shrubs underneath the window, Pippin thought he could be seen whenever his father looked around. He thought his father could gaze into his soul; figure out his innermost thoughts. Pippin gulped again as he heard the front door close, and his father walked out with a thick wooden stick, ready to club _an-y-one _who got in his way. Killer trotted outside beside him. The dog looked his direction, and Pippin did his best to stay hidden. When the dog looked away, he took off, running as fast as his 17 year old legs would carry him.

LATER THAT DAY

Merry ran about the Shire, calling his younger cousin. Frodo and Sam were assisting him. They were split up into three sections; Frodo around the roads of Bag End; Sam around the river; and Merry around Buckland and Tuckborough. Little did they know it was going to be years ever since they saw him again; and how much Pippin had changed.


	2. Pippin's Return

Chapter One

Pippin's Return-17 Years Later

A young Hobbit roamed the streets (or dirt roads, as you may call them,) looking around.

_So much, so much has changed,_ he thought. His mind diverted over to a tree, its leaves turning orange and red. It has been forever since he had been here. His escape to Bree 17 years ago changed him dramatically. But, unfortunately, he was still a Took. Peregrin Took, the missing Hobbit. That's what he was now famous for. Not being the Thain's son. Oh, no. That title passed him long ago. Now he was 'Missing Hobbit Boy', and he liked that title much better. He hated being the 'soon-to-be' Thain. He had no clue why he had come back. But Pippin knew if Merry knew what he was like now, he would DESPISE him. He bumped into a Hobbit that looked a little familiar.

"Sorry," Pippin said, and walked on.

"Oh, that's okay," the other Hobbit replied. He took a bite of a red apple.

"Where'd you get that?" Pippin asked him. The Hobbit turned around, and looked at him.

"That stand over there." He replied. Then he looked at Pippin, furrowing his eyebrows.

"What?" Pippin asked.

"I'm sorry, you just look like someone I knew." The other Hobbit apologized. "He ran away 17 years ago. Everyone thinks he's dead now."

"What's his name?"  
The other Hobbit could barely spit the name out; he looked like he still wasn't over the loss.

"Pip- Pip-"

"Pippin?"

"Yes. Do you know where he is?"

"Well, kinda. You're staring right at him."

"Pippin?" The other Hobbit gasped in awe, eyes wide, mouth hanging open as he took the sight of him in. Pippin nodded his head slowly.

"It's me, Merry?" Pippin replied uncertainly. He wasn't sure that was him or not. The other Hobbit smiled, and took Pippin into a tight embrace. Pippin hugged back, not sure what else to do. Then he remembered. Merry, who had been there whenever his father had beaten him; Merry, who had been there to help him up when he fell; Merry, who was his best friend in the whole world.

"Oh, my God, Pippin, you're alive." Merry cried. "I thought you were dead, gone. But I know now. I know. You're alive and well, and I can stop worrying about you now that I know that you're safe!" he cried into Pippin's shoulder. Merry pulled away, tears streaming down his cheeks. He looked at Pippin. He had grown immensely. He was older, about 34. Pippin cocked his head in his usual manner, and Merry had no doubt that it was him.

"Pippin," Merry said, as he tried to stop crying. "You need to see someone."

"Who?"

"I hate to say it, but, your father."

"Hell to the no." Pippin said, and crossed his arms.

"Pippin, you're 34 at least, he can't harm you anymore. Besides, he's going to die soon."

"Well, good riddance."

"Pippin. Please."

"Merry, I-"

"Please, Pippin. He does love you. Really, he does. He just, didn't really know how to raise a son, he had so many daughters. Uncle Pad really did love you."

Pad. Paladin. Those words were bitter in Pippin's mind.

"Alright." Pippin gave in. "I'll go see him."

"Thank you."

"Can you come with me?" Pippin asked.

"Sure." Merry said, and they walked off to Tuckborough together, like they once did when they were younger.


	3. Pippin Faces His Fear

Chapter Two

Pippin Faces His Fear

"Here it is," Merry said, and was about to open the door, when Pippin spoke.

"Do I really have to do this?" he asked.

"Pip-"

"Right. Sorry, go right ahead." Pippin said. Merry opened the door. They looked around.

"Looks like they haven't left."  
"Who?"  
"The mourners."

"Do you think he's finally dead?" Pippin asked, hopefully.

"No. The Healer said at least one more week."

"Damn," Pippin said. Then, they heard voices.

"Oh, Esie, I miss him so."

"I know you do, Tina, I know." Esmeralda said, trying to comfert her,

Eglantine Took was in shambles. First her son, now her husband.

"I hope he's still alive somewhere." she said.

"It's a very big possiblity."

"I know."

"Who's talking?" Pippin whispered.

"My mother and your mother."

"Really?" Pippin asked. "I knew she cared about me, but I always thought she let my father abuse me."

"Pip-"

"No really, I did."

"Surprise her." Merry said.

"Whaddya mean?" Pippin asked.

"Walk in there. She'll recognize you in a millisecond."

"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah, and my mom will too."

"Alright." Pippin said, and walked in.

"Go away." Eglantine said.

"Okay," Pippin said, about to leave the room.

"Wait, stop."

"Why?" Pippin asked, turning around.

"Oh my... It is you! My son has returned!" Eglantine said, and took Pippin in a tight hug.

"Hi." Pippin said. He watched as Esmeralda took him in, and then hugged him too.

"Can't. Breathe." Pippin said, and both of them let go.

''Thank you," Pippin said.

"My baby boy!" Eglantine said, covering him in kisses.

"Mom," Pippin said, but it sounded weird. Unknown to his tongue and lips.

"Come in here," Eglantine said. "You need to see your father."

"The reason I ran away was because of him." Pippin told her.

"Peregrin, you need to face your fears." Eglantine said, and dragged him into the room.

"Paladin." she said. No movement. "Paladin!" she said louder. A snort was the response.

"I found someone." she said. The old Hobbit's head turned towards her and Pippin.

"Who is it?"  
"Peregrin."

"Okay, I saw him. Bye." Pippin said, about to leave.

"Come here boy." Paladin commanded.

"I'd rather not," Pippin said, about to back out of the room.

"Peregrin," Eglantine scolded and pushed him towards his father. Pippin stopped himself on the bed. He never made eye contact with Paladin.

"Where were you?" Paladin commanded. "Why did you leave?"  
"To get away from you." Pippin replied, looking away.

"Why?"  
"Why? You hit me! You whipped me! You... you..." Pippin boomed. Paladin looked at his son, no love in ihs eyes.

"I wanted you be a great Thain."

"What if I didn't want to be Thain, _Paladin_? You were never there for me! It was only Mum, Pimpernell, Pearl, Pervinca, Sam, Frodo, and Merry. No one else cared. That's why I ran away. You despised me, Paladin. I know you did."

"Peregrin-"

"No, please, I don't wish to talk anymore. Did you really wish to see me?"  
"No."

"Figured. That's what Merry told me."

"He's a rotten, lying, Brandybuck that-"

"He isn't rotten! He was-is-my best friend!" Pippin cried. "You just don't understand." he said, and stormed out.

"How'd it go?" Merry asked when he passed by. Pippin didn't answer. He stormed out of the Hobbit hole, and ran behind a tree.

Chapter Two

Pippin Faces His Fear

"Here it is," Merry said, and was about to open the door, when Pippin spoke.

"Do I really have to do this?" he asked.

"Pip-"

"Right. Sorry, go right ahead." Pippin said. Merry opened the door. They looked around.

"Looks like they haven't left."  
"Who?"  
"The mourners."

"Do you think he's finally dead?" Pippin asked, hopefully.

"No. The Healer said at least one more week."

"Damn," Pippin said. Then, they heard voices.

"Oh, Esie, I miss him so."

"I know you do, Tina, I know." Esmeralda said, trying to comfert her,

Eglantine Took was in shambles. First her son, now her husband.

"I hope he's still alive somewhere." she said.

"It's a very big possiblity."

"I know."

"Who's talking?" Pippin whispered.

"My mother and your mother."

"Really?" Pippin asked. "I knew she cared about me, but I always thought she let my father abuse me."

"Pip-"

"No really, I did."

"Surprise her." Merry said.

"Whaddya mean?" Pippin asked.

"Walk in there. She'll recognize you in a millisecond."

"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah, and my mom will too."

"Alright." Pippin said, and walked in.

"Go away." Eglantine said.

"Okay," Pippin said, about to leave the room.

"Wait, stop."

"Why?" Pippin asked, turning around.

"Oh my... It is you! My son has returned!" Eglantine said, and took Pippin in a tight hug.

"Hi." Pippin said. He watched as Esmeralda took him in, and then hugged him too.

"Can't. Breathe." Pippin said, and both of them let go.

''Thank you," Pippin said.

"My baby boy!" Eglantine said, covering him in kisses.

"Mom," Pippin said, but it sounded weird. Unknown to his tongue and lips.

"Come in here," Eglantine said. "You need to see your father."

"The reason I ran away was because of him." Pippin told her.

"Peregrin, you need to face your fears." Eglantine said, and dragged him into the room.

"Paladin." she said. No movement. "Paladin!" she said louder. A snort was the response.

"I found someone." she said. The old Hobbit's head turned towards her and Pippin.

"Who is it?"  
"Peregrin."

"Okay, I saw him. Bye." Pippin said, about to leave.

"Come here boy." Paladin commanded.

"I'd rather not," Pippin said, about to back out of the room.

"Peregrin," Eglantine scolded and pushed him towards his father. Pippin stopped himself on the bed. He never made eye contact with Paladin.

"Where were you?" Paladin commanded. "Why did you leave?"  
"To get away from you." Pippin replied, looking away.

"Why?"  
"Why? You hit me! You whipped me! You... you..." Pippin boomed. Paladin looked at his son, no love in ihs eyes.

"I wanted you be a great Thain."

"What if I didn't want to be Thain, _Paladin_? You were never there for me! It was only Mum, Pimpernell, Pearl, Pervinca, Sam, Frodo, and Merry. No one else cared. That's why I ran away. You despised me, Paladin. I know you did."

"Peregrin-"

"No, please, I don't wish to talk anymore. Did you really wish to see me?"  
"No."

"Figured. That's what Merry told me."

"He's a rotten, lying, Brandybuck that-"

"He isn't rotten! He was-is-my best friend!" Pippin cried. "You just don't understand." he said, and stormed out.

"How'd it go?" Merry asked when he passed by. Pippin didn't answer. He stormed out of the Hobbit hole, and ran behind a tree.


	4. Pippin Tells Merry His Story

Chapter Three

Pippin Tells Merry His Story

"Pippin?" Merry asked, walking outside. "Pippin?" he called. No answer. "Pip!"

"Over here!"

"Pippin, what the hell are you doing?" Merry asked walking over to him and sitting down next to him.

"I can't do it, Merry. I can't listen to that bastard's lies any longer."

"Pippin!"

"It's true. Don't scold me. I ran away just to get away from him!"

"Where did you go?"  
"Bree."

"Bree?" Merry asked, shocked. "Why Bree?"

"Because,"

"Because why?"

"It was the place with Hobbits could live where no one knew me. No one knew who I was. I wanted to get away."

"You caused a lot of commotion after you left."

"I'll bet. Being the Thain's son and all," Pippin said, bitterly.

"What I'm trying to say is, there's a lot of people who care about you."

'Who?"

"Me, my parents, Frodo, Sam, we all went looking for you, Pip. Now I think it's high time you got out of this little attitude shell you're in."

"This is how I am, Merry. Nobody, not even... _him_, can change me."

"You used to love life. You used to-"

"As bad as Bree is, you'd be surprised how people change after living there for 17 years. I fended for myself. I had to steal food-literally! You don't know me anymore."

"You're right, I don't." Merry said, and left. Pippin just sat there. He didn't know what to do. He just sat there and cried.


End file.
